Elina Aarnisalo’s late free throws deliver UCLA a win at Iowa

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Elina Aarnisalo made two free throws with 3.8 seconds remaining to give No. 3 UCLA a 67-65 comeback win over Iowa on Sunday.

Lauren Betts finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds while Kiki Rice added 12 points for the Bruins (26-1, 14-1 Big Ten), who trailed by 12 points twice in the third quarter.

Iowa tied the score at 65 when Lucy Olsen made three free throws with six seconds left. Aarnisalo was fouled when she was tripped by Olsen after she had fallen to the court while trying to defend.

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Iowa had a final shot to tie or win, but Addison O’Grady’s three-pointer fell short.

Olsen led Iowa (18-9, 8-8) with 17 points, although she made only five of 21 shots. Hannah Stuelke had 11 points, while O’Grady and Taylor McCabe each had 10.

The Hawkeyes were hoping to knock off another top-5 team at home — they defeated No. 4 USC 76-69 on Feb. 2.

The Bruins survived early foul trouble to Betts — she picked up her second with 4:26 left in the second quarter and sat out the rest of the half.

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UCLA went on a 16-4 run over the final 5½ minutes of the third quarter to tie the score at 50. The run was started by a three-pointer from Angela Dugalic, only the second three of the game for the Bruins at that point.

UCLA shot just five of 25 on three-pointers, but the last make came from Rice, whose long-range shot with 2:19 left gave UCLA a 62-60 lead. The Bruins wouldn’t trail again.

Up next

UCLA is at Wisconsin on Wednesday; Iowa plays at Michigan on Wednesday.